This web page is intended to provide some information about our diet program to the referring physician and explain to you why we request a referral letter before we book your patient.

First of all, we are not a weight loss clinic. It is our intention to help you help your patients to improve on their obesity related conditions. Since Metabolic Syndrome is related to obesity, helping patients to lose their fat weight is the treatment of choice. Medication may treat the number, but weight reduction treats the cause.

Objectives of this program are to lose fat and excess water, while maintaining the muscle mass. It can be achieved by eating a diet that is low in sugar, starch and salt, as well as saturated and trans fats. It is an all you can eat diet without the need to count calories. It is not how much you eat, but what you eat, that causes weight gain. Vitamins, supplements and exercise will be discussed with the patients once they are losing weight. There is no fee to join our program. If the patient wishes to purchase the Dr. Poon’s Metabolic Diet Book or the Cookbook, it will be done on a voluntary basis. Patients eat foods that are available at the supermarket. There is no expensive meal plan to purchase.

Doctors in our clinics will only counsel the patient on nutrition and exercise. Any medical conditions that are not related to this diet plan will be referred back to you. We do not do general practice.

Patients who do not follow the diet plan will be discharged. We are very strict on that. Please mention this to your patients.

Most patients in our program are referred by their family doctor or specialist. We do not see any patient who does not need our help. I am sure you will not refer patient to us unless you think that we can help your patient. With the family doctor as a gatekeeper, it will shorten our waiting list. A recent copy of the patient’s blood work should be faxed along with the referral letter, stating the reason for the dietary counseling needs. This will save us ordering unnecessary blood work. We will order another set of blood work after the patients lose 10% of their initial weight. It usually takes 2 months to achieve this. A copy of their blood work will be forwarded to you directly. We do not use the referral letter for OHIP billing purposes.

Most of the time, patients who come to see us have a BMI of over 30. We may also see patients who are just overweight (BMI of 25-30), but have poorly-controlled Type 2 diabetes. Patients with chronic renal failure (GFR<40), liver failure or Type 1 diabetes are not suitable candidates for our program. Vegans may have difficulties with our diet menu. However, we do have a vegetarian program.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further clarification. We have seminar on our diet program that runs monthly. You are welcome to join us if you wish to learn more about this diet program.